A baby girl has been orphaned after her parents were killed trying to save the family dogs from a swollen river.

Seven-month-old Ellis was last night being cared for by relatives after mum Laura Frey, 33, and her 32-year-old partner Darren Greenan perished.

Laura got into difficulty after plunging in after the pets who jumped into the fastflowing water for a stick. She was pulled from the river by the emergency services but died later in hospital.

Darren, who had three other children, died trying to save her. His body was spotted by a police helicopter close to a rocky pool.

His cousin Laurie Miller, 29, said: "The family are distraught. I sat up all night at the rocks where Darren and Laura went in. I couldn't believe what had happened.

"There's four kids without a father - and one of them just a wee baby. I told police where he would be in the water but nobody listened.

"They said the current was too strong. But I'm not angry because it was too late to save him anyway." The couple were out for a Sunday afternoon stroll along the banks of the swollen River Garnock near their home in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, when the dogs suddenly leapt in to the water.

Police said: "The currents were very strong and apparently it wasn't safe to send divers down."